UT Gardens' Plant of the Month for March 2008:

Japanese Flowering Apricot

Submitted by Dr. Sue Hamilton

One of the earliest spring-flowering ornamental trees is the Japanese Flowering Apricot. This beautiful tree remains surprisingly underused in America. A favorite in Japan, where more than 300 cultivars are sold, Japanese flowering apricot grows to just 15 feet tall. Its scientific name is Prunus mume, and this small tree sports a broad, round form. The fragrant almond-scented flowers can appear white to pink or red in color and the flowers can be single or a thick double bloom.

One interesting feature of Prunus mume is its staggered dormancy. The tree can flower over several weeks during the winter. Should a cold spell kill all the open flowers and swollen buds, as almost inevitably happens in our climate, any remaining unharmed dormant buds will still bloom. However, because many of the blossoms are prone to winter damage, the possibility of setting fruit is drastically reduced.

The fruit, when set, is more ornamental in nature, growing only to about one inch in diameter, and yellow in color. In the West this apricot is generally considered inedible, but in the East the bitter, sour fruit is reportedly eaten salted, dried as a vegetable or soaked in alcohol for several years.

Due to its small size and fragrant blooms, Japanese Flowering Apricot works well when planted near a walkway or entrance where, despite cold, wintery temperatures, you can enjoy this unique tree as you come and go. Ideal conditions for optimal performance are in full-sun to partial-shade and in moist but well-drained soil.

Prunus mume is a sturdy tree resistant to most insect pests and diseases. If pruning is desired, prune within two months after flowering since the flower buds for the next year will be set during the summer.

Several good cultivars of Japanese Flowering Apricot are available. W. B. Clarke, an American hybridizer, named three of the most readily available to American gardeners. 'Peggy Clarke' is a double-flowering cultivar with rose-pink petals crowned with a bright red calyx. 'Rosemary Clarke', a particularly early double-flowered bloomer, is white with a red calyx, and 'W. B. Clarke' is a graceful weeping form with double pink flowers.

Dr. Sue Hamilton is an associate professor in the University of Tennessee Department of Plant Sciences and director of the UT Gardens, a project of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station. On the Web at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu

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Contact:

Patricia C. McDaniels, (865) 974-7141